He who is out there whose cash flow hasn’t been affected by the impact of COVID-19 on business, please raise your hand. In my mind I can only see a few. We live in dire times and the need to be frugal and conserve cash is more relevant than ever, but it starts with the simple things at home. One area that drains budgets is utilities, and specifically that from home appliances. A little attention to how we manage these appliances can go a long way to contribute to energy savings and subsequently reduced utility bills. The home appliances we use have observed us abuse them and disregard efficiency measures throughout the ages. They are tired and have a few tips for us all. Hear them out.
Refrigerators and Freezers
Mr. Master, we know you bought us with your hard earned money but that doesn’t give you the right to abuse us the way you do and even worse you take a hit on that bill without realizing it. Abuse you? Yes abuse! How many times haven’t you opened and closed the fridge door within a space of 2 mins. Could you not have at one go, taken out items we have suffered to store and freeze carefully and thoughtfully with love? When you open and close the door indiscriminately, it draws in warm air, causes items in there to sweat and we have to over work to re-cool not to speak of the fact that it drains energy or power immensely.
Do you also not realize that you choke us greatly when you place us so close to the wall. We suffocate as heat is generated within that little space between the back of the fridge and the wall. This heat is recirculated back into the fan causing it to overwork and by extension increased energy usage. Please be thoughtful and considerate of our feelings and give us enough breathing room Mr. Master.
Air Conditioners and Fans
These days it’s trendy to install Air-conditioned (AC) in our homes, sometimes in houses that weren’t originally designed with ACs in mind. You make us breathe out a lot of cool air only to have the air sip out through open spaces within windows with partially opened louvre blades and under doors that aren’t fully secure. These open spaces also draw in warm air that only put further strain on ACs which end up using more power than ordinarily will require, and you know what that means for bills, bills, bills. Also, you leave us very naked, a little privacy for us won’t hurt you know. Drawing the curtains as well as having thick curtains all go to aid better functioning and circulation of air which ensures maintenance of a stable temperature.
Ironing
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday – everyday through Friday to Sunday, and even several times during the day, by different inhabitants at the home, you warm me up unnecessarily. Mr. Master you will be surprised at the level of power consumption on all of these different occasions as against ironing in bulk. When it’s fully warm, the iron’s consumption is stabilized. Ironing in bits, however, requires cooling and re-heating of the iron every time it’s used. This takes up greater energy every time it reheats. So, iron in bulk instead of bits. Surely that isn’t too hard is it? Indeed ironing in bulk even saves you trouble of dealing with “dumsor” or power cuts on certain days when you have to dash in the morning to that meeting. Let’s be nice to each other Mr. Master it’s a win win.
Phone Chargers
Mr. Master, out of all the devices I am the worst abused. You leave me constantly plugged in even when the device is not connected. Do you have any idea how much this seeming little disregard affects your total power consumption? When your phone or other device’s charger is left plugged in, but disconnected from your phone or device, it consumes 0.001kWh and above of energy. The excess energy causes it to keep warming up as it draws the full voltage from the socket and converts it to the amount the device it charges can use (even though the device is not connected). Apart from the energy wasted, it could also get hot enough to start a fire in your home. Mr. Master, please release us from this bondage as it negatively affects your voltage. See that’s a rhyme right there. It works!
Kettle and other Heaters
Mr. Master, I know in your ever busy lifestyle, energy use planning is the last thing on your mind. But all it takes is just a few minutes of your time to save a lot more cedis. You are with me aren’t you? I am sure you have realized a pattern with all my previous petitions – switch off household appliances when not in use and use a device for a number of items in one go as compared to using it in bits. This also applies to water heaters. Only switch them on about five to ten minutes before you need them. Switch them off immediately after use. We will also advise you get a flask to store hot water instead of using the kettle ten times a day at every turn you need hot water
There you are Mr. Master, observe these tips and our relationship will not only be more efficient but will save you a lot of cedis.
The writer is the Executive director of Yecham Property Consult
& Founder of Ghana Green Building Summit.
Email: [email protected]
Linkedin: Cyril Nii Ayitey Tetteh
